NEOPOLIS hosting “Future of Work” Congress, May 4th 2016, Zurich

The debate on ​​a “basic income” is on media worldwide. With Finland, Canada, Holland, New Zealand and Namibia various governments speak on a possible introduction or extensive testing and Switzerland is the first country in the world to vote on a launch of this idea.

The conference “Future of Work” shows with distinguished speakers, as the issue is now being discussed at international level and directs ways in which to go to for social innovations.

The largest think tanks of the US meet entrepreneurs like Myke Näf (Doodle), Robin Chase (ZipCar) or Michael Faye (GiveDirectly), all of which have a gusto for a universal basic income. Because it’s clear: The working world is changing rapidly and radically. Digitization transforms whole branches. The next disruption follows already, keyword Industry 4.0: robots and artificial intelligence are about to revolutionize the economy.

Machines will take over jobs from people, particularly affected is the middle class. It offers new, partly precarious employment models. The ‘uberization’ of society questions our social system. The technological revolution promises growth – but what happens to the people who lose their jobs?

New working models need new social policies. We need social innovation. For example, an unconditional basic income? The idea attracts attention globally. Liberal as well as left-wing thinkers deal with it – and look forward to Switzerland that will vote in June 2016 about the introduction of a universal basic income.